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Monday, December 20, 2010

This alarming quote reflects the ancestry of socialism and foretells what was soon to become one of the more sinister ideological tenants of communism, atheism. This ideology is not exclusive to communism it is employed in some degree by all forms of progressive or collectivist government.

The quote is from Ferdinand Lassalle, founder of the German socialist movement during the early 1800’s. His words were a fundamental inspiration to Karl Marx who authored the Communist Manifesto in 1848. The same Communist Manifesto that led to the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and nearly a century of war, suffering and the death of freedom for nearly 200 million citizens before the system failed and the Berlin Wall came down.

Of the 435 members of the House of Representatives in the 111th Congress of the United States of America there are 70 members who are avowed socialists. All of them are members of the Democratic Socialists of America. (Numerous sources confirm this fact.)

The fact that they adhere to socialist ideology reveals their goal for America.

We citizens have the need and right to know the answer to two questions:

Question one: “Are the goals of socialism consistent with the values so clearly defined and revered in the text of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution or reflected in our history?”

Neither Constitutional nor historical scholarship is required to form a strong and freedom driven “no” to answer this question with absolute certainty.

A few familiar quotes from the founding documents of the United States of America reveal the foundation for the profound “no” answer.

From the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

“That to pursue these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed….”

From the first few words of the Constitution:

“…and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,…”

Our history reveals our willingness to defend liberty and freedom contained in both the spirit and letter of these documents as well as to deny tyranny at the hands of government.

Question two is for our individual members of the Congress. It is: “What are you doing to uphold your Constitutional oath of office?”

The answer to question two is the responsibility our elected representatives. When their actions appear to embrace the tyranny of socialist ideals that are so profoundly in conflict with our Constitution we must shout: “GET OUT OF OUR HOUSE!” with our vote.

It is time for diligence we cannot become complacent lest we find ourselves by default eventually falling into involuntary submission to socialist ideology.

We can restore a limited trust in our Congress but we will need to elect citizen statesmen to office, not ten or twenty term politicians with only a limited view of the responsibilities of their office.

Finally, let us remember that President Ronald Reagan doubled the national debt and defeated the socialist USSR in the Cold War.

Two and a half decades later the current President with the willing consent of Congress tripled the national debt and employed communists in the Whitehouse to defeat the American principals of freedom that the USSR socialists tried to destroy during that same Cold War.

It looks like we’ll have to defeat the socialists again, this time on our own shores, in our own Whitehouse and in the halls of the Congress. But now we won’t have to modify the debt, all we must do is remove the socialists from office with our vote.

The current socialists and other occupants of the Whitehouse and Congress would engage in folly, if they did not heed the words of President Reagan: “…self delusion in the face of unpleasant fact is folly.”

Friday, December 3, 2010

And like any other birth there are moments of travail. But we have the strength to embrace a greater goal and therefore look with certainty beyond those hard moments.

The circles of political correctness, academia and media might be asking, “Who do you people think you are?”

The answer is clear. We are the carpenters, janitors, engineers and doctors. We are the retired, the veterans and soldiers, we are the students and the working and blessed stay at home moms. We are the soul of freedom in the United States of America. What we are not is takers.

Former Chaplin of the Senate Dr. Edward Everett Hale was asked, if he prayed for the Senate. His answer was, “No, when I look at the Senate, I pray for the country.” We join in that prayer.

We have come to suspect elected officers of government, at any level, whose oath of office has become corrupted by pride and thus yielded to greed. We especially mistrust those who work in the dark to make law unavailable to the eyes of the citizens until a self serving moment of exposure is found. And we have come to respect wisdom grounded in truth not infected by the need to continue a dynasty or maintain an elected office.

We are the people who know that citizen statesmen are those who know with certainty that servant leadership is to be chosen over family dynasties and that pride and greed are not part of the oath of office.

And having examined this movement with its strengths and flaws this is what I have come to know about our character:

We are stewards of the environment not slaves to it or worshiper of it.

We understand far more deeply than government thinks we do.

We are not deceived by disingenuous claims of transparency.

We did not, and will not, run from the nation’s turmoil when it needed our courage, our minds and our best thoughts - never our cowardice.

We do not condone illegal actions for the purpose of gaining a vote.

We justifiably stand up with boldness to government because we know that government has not heard us, yet!

We honor the individual not the collective while at the same time assisting those in legitimate need without being coerced into doing so by regulatory or executive dictate.

We are entertained by Hollywood and know the difference between fantasy and fact.

We are flawed enough to slip out of the noose of political correctness and speak our minds.

We know that America is indeed threatened from within.

We believe that inconveniencing terrorists by placing them in prisons is a good idea.

We know who the enemies of our nation are.

We understand that the Constitution neither compels nor endorses our religious choices in either the public square or in our homes.

We know the difference between fact and feeling.

There are many out there who also know but desperately need to hide these simple truths in order to preserve their power. They attack us by simply creating divisions within our movement. So we need to be ever vigilant lest they be allowed to create division in the place of open discussion and debate.

Let us continue to remind the House of Representatives that millions of us were pounding on their doors in Washington a few months ago and thousands of us have come to town hall meetings to be politically incorrect enough to ask them hard questions and have the purposeful impudence to demand honest answers as well as thoughtful actions.

Finally, let us continue to pound on their front door reminding them that we have the greatest tool of freedom in the entire world, our vote and we will use it!

May God richly Bless your prayers and once again receive the United States of America into His care and grace

Monday, November 22, 2010

What is it about sitting members of Congress that makes them so hard to beat? Are incumbents just better candidates (on average) or is the deck somehow stacked against challengers?

Let’s look at what has been identified by political scientists as the “incumbent advantage” in congressional elections. Incumbency itself, financial advantage, the “Perks” of Office, Visibility, Television, Campaign Organization, Time and Pork barrel spending.

There are advantages that come with being an incumbent (in addition to being, for example, the representative from the majority party in the district, or having greater access to campaign finances). Being an incumbent lends both greater name recognition and attracts votes that would not be gained by a challenger or running in an open seat race.

Many that study the science of politics are in agreement that since the mid-1960s, the advantage of incumbency has grown significantly. Estimates have indicated that it has increased to roughly 7 to 10 percentage points of the vote. This indicates that the advantage of incumbency has close to quadrupled while competition and seat changes have sharply decreased. Districts have been made safer for incumbents.

Campaign contributions are recognized as the most significant advantage enjoyed by sitting members of Congress. It is the large amounts of campaign contributions they are able to raise, especially in comparison to those who run against them, that gives them an indisputable predominance.

In the elections from 1992 to 2000, there were 1,643 contested House seats in which there was a challenged incumbent. In 905 of these (55 percent of the total), the incumbents spent 84% or more of the total spending. These elections resulted in 904 victories for the incumbents, and one loss. On average, a candidate challenging an incumbent House member was outspent by nearly $565,000 and Senate challengers were outspent by an average of $3.13 million.

Each member of Congress has an office budget allotment which provides enough money to hire a sizable staff both in Washington, D.C. and back home in their states or districts. These staffers assist members in their efforts to be effective, well-liked representatives. In addition to money for staff, members of Congress also have travel allowances for trips between Washington and their constituencies as well as for trips inside their states or districts. One of the most widely recognized "perks" of House members and Senators is the “franking privilege” allowing members of Congress to send informational letters or announcements to their constituents on a regular basis. The franking privilege, which gives lawmakers millions in tax dollars to create a favorable public image, is viewed by experts across the political spectrum as an unfair electioneering tool. In past election cycles, Congressional incumbents have spent as much on franking alone as challengers have spent on their entire campaigns.

Sitting members of Congress are almost universally recognized in their districts. Having waged at least one previous campaign, and a successful one at that, and then serving in Congress for two years (House members), makes a sitting member of Congress something of a household name among his or her constituents. Moreover, members of the U.S. House have easy and ready access to the news media and make regular appearances on television and radio programs and are frequently mentioned in newspaper articles and editorials.

In general, incumbents receive more media coverage than their opponents.

Respondents who recognize a candidate are more likely to vote for that candidate.Campaign managers evidently believe that television is the single most important communication medium, and incumbents typically are able to spend much more on television than challengers.

Every member of Congress has run at least one successful election campaign for the seat he or she holds. This means, among other things, that a sitting House member or has invaluable experience with creating and managing a campaign organization. It also means that incumbents generally have an effective volunteer organization, that have received rewards for their previous endeavors, in place and ready go when it is time to campaign.

Sitting members of Congress are on the job full-time--that is what they are paid to do. In fact, many of the things a candidate would do to win an election, such as meeting and talking with voters, attending special events, appearing on television or radio talk shows, etc., are part of the job description of a member of Congress. In contrast, a challenger to an incumbent must generally figure out how to pay for everything while running for office. Many candidates are forced to go into debt, especially in the early stages of a campaign before he or she has raised much money.

Pork barrel spending is a term in American politics used to refer to Congressmen or who use their position on Committees in the House to appropriate federal money to their own district and therefore bring increased business and investment to their home area. This process is referred to as "bringing home the pork." This can be used to build up a stronger base of support, thereby solidifying their hold on the sensibilities of their constituents, and thereby using their job, to secure their job.

Taking into account all the above advantages that a setting member of the house has makes it difficult for a challenger to win. But, the most difficult challenge of all is the American voter and the way many vote.

First and foremost is the voter turnout. There has never been a voter turnout greater than 63.1% after1960. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy defeated then Vice President and Republican candidate Richard Nixon in the 1960 U.S. Presidential election.

The percentage of voter turnout typically runs 15% to 20% more during a presidential election year. In 2008 a presidential year the turnout was 56.8%

A number of states say they are trying to make voting a little easier by allowing voters to choose all the candidates from a single party with a single vote. The process is known as straight-party or straight-ticket voting. Voters do have the choice of voting for each individual candidate. This gives party candidates a distinct advantage over non party candidates.

Challenging is what comes to mind when you group all the above. Not unsurmountable, as one person attempting to climb Mt Everest. Only people joining together with one purpose in mind will ever reach the pinnacle of success.

The thousands of patriots that marched on Washington D.C., this past November, to demonstrate their displeasure with Washington established that we as groups are learning to work together. What we hope is the leaders of the many diverse groups that attended realized they were not alone and made many friends. Communication between friends will keep us dedicated and strong. We all need encouragement, a big hug or a pat on the back when we do something good.

To overcome the obstacles in our path we will need all our strength and all of our friends.

We need to increase our numbers not by thousands but by ten’s of thousands, not to march on Washington but to march to the polling booth all across America.

We did well at the polls in 2010 as we were able to replace a few carrier politicians not only at the National level but also at the local and state level.

It does no good to replace one career politician with another that is like replacing a bad apple with one that has a worm in side of it. There is a way to find a person with integrity, a person you will want to represent your district in Congress. But first you must decide, climb the mountain alone or with the help of many others.

The base camp is established and waiting for you to join. Over 85,000 people have committed and believe in the Go – GOOOH process. We need you to join with us to increase membership to such a vigors mass of patriots that when we push out from the base camp in 2012 nothing will be able to impede our path to victory.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Date: November 18, 2010

To: Concerned American Patriots

From: Ed Stanley – GOOOH – Georgia’s 7th District

Re: Every Other Thursday Memo Issue #8 – The results are in

We have all committed much time and effort in getting us to and through the mid-term elections in 2010. The EOTM took a breather 11/04/10 and now the results are here for your reference. The numbers are one thing. Results are quite another. Time to get caught up….

RE-ELECTION RATE 2010 – As we have been predicting, the United States voters (42% turn out, by the way) RE-elected 88% of the incumbents. According to a comprehensive tally by Fox News, there were 435 seats up for election, 338 incumbents were RE-elected, and 49 seats had no incumbent (due to death, retirement, or resignation). There are 97 “new,” non-incumbent people in The House. However, considering that there were no incumbents in 49 seats, the RE-election rate was 87.6% (435 seats less the 49 non-incumbent seats = 386 incumbents. 338 seats won by incumbents is 87.6% of the 386 incumbent seats). Before we are accused of spinning the results into a bigger number than is reality, let us understand that unless they were an incumbent, they couldn’t get RE-elected, of course. So the true RE-election rate is only for incumbents (338 of the 386 incumbents were RE-elected); an 87.6% RE-election rate. The gross figures are 338 of the 435 seats were won by incumbents (78% of the entire House). While these are historic numbers – and they are – please note that about 4 out of 5 of the yahoos that occupied the House BEFORE the election got voted back in. The “results” are not as impressive as one would think listening to the media. The approval rating for Congress was an “F” (about 12%) going into the election. Yet The House pulled out a passing grade of a “C+” (78% of The House was allowed to stay) once the election was tallied. If 4 out of 5 career politicians continue to occupy The House, how much REAL reform can be expected? –YOU do the math.

WHAT ELSE? – The turn over of power (the largest shift from one party to another since 1938 when the Republicans picked up 80 seats on the heels of the New Deal) went well beyond the U.S. Congress. Even though the likes of Rangel (with 80%), Pelosi (80%), Frank (54%) and Hoyer (64%) kept their seats, some less publicized results are worth mentioning. At the state level, there are 7 more Republican governors than there were and Republicans took over the majority in 20 state legislative chambers across America. That is big. For example, for the first time since 1870, the North Carolina state legislature is in the hands of the Republicans. It has been 90 years since the Republicans have had this much power at the state level. These numbers show a more profound change of the political winds than the mid-terms of 1994 when Republican gains were mostly limited to the national stage. But the Republicans did not win and the Democrats did not lose because the Republicans showed up and the Democrats didn’t. No no no. Take for example in the 2006 (the last mid-term) the voters were 36% R / 38% D. In 2010 it was 36% R / 36% D; not enough to cause the dramatic shift we just saw to the Republicans. The real movement makers were the Independent voters favoring Republicans by a margin of 55-40%. Compare this to President Obama’s win in 2008 that show the independents favoring him by 8 points (52 to 44%). Now that is a swing of 23 points – a dramatic shift.

SO WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? – With these shifts in majority what can we expect? Does this “fresh start” for the Republicans translate into real reform in our government? There are no guarantees one way or the other for sure. But imagine – of the 97 “new” members of the House of Representatives being sworn into office in January, how many are party loyal? How many took special interest money? How many are career politicians? The answer to all of these questions is “most if not all of them.” Check them out yourself using the website and let me know if there are any that can honestly say “Not me!” to ALL of those questions. A retraction will be issued promptly.

Our country has “bet it all” once again on the broken party system. As Boortz wrote right after the election, “What if it is governance as usual with a Republican house?.. Where do we turn then?” Good question Neal. Good question. We believe that people didn’t necessarily vote for Republicans but voted against Democrats. We certainly wish the newbies in The House well. But just in case they assimilate too well to the D.C. environs, let’s get busy NOW and give America real reform with 435 GOOOH candidates in 2012. Come get involved NOW, for soon, I fear, it will be too late.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

November 2nd came and went and the steady flow of grief counselors into the Capitol Hill offices of FORMER representatives is a wonder to behold. What we have not yet beheld is how the NEW folks will perform in the toxic environment of Washington. We shall soon know if they are strong and principled enough to resist the onslaught of K Street influence peddlers arriving bearing “gifts” of cash, assorted goodies and pledges of well-laundered campaign contributions in 2012, not to mention “…to infinity and beyond” (assuming, of course, they vote “right”).

As you contemplate THAT problem, there’s another – one I broached in a comment I recently posted here on the GOOOH blog -- that begs to be addressed. And that is “What is to be done about the HILL RATS?”

Hill Rats (HR for brevity) are the allegedly “professional” staffers who inhabit Capitol Hill. That appellation is one they often use humorously among themselves. It flows from their penchant to scurry like rats to a new member – frequently ANY MEMBER -- after their current boss gets a pink slip from the folks back home. Because they have an overwhelming need to remain close to Henry Kissinger’s “ultimate aphrodisiac” of political power, the politics of the prospective new boss often don’t matter.

A disturbing number of HRs are “progressives” whose years on the Hill have convinced them that government can solve any and all problems. Fortunately for the rest of us, many of them wind up in the offices of equally “progressive” members. Some do not -- and therein lies the danger.

What the HR brings to the table -- the “official,” decades-old rulebook of how to play the Capitol Hill “game” of “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” – is his or her appeal to the newbie. If hired -- and after the HR shows his new boss where the john is --far too many of these new bosses rely too heavily on the HR for how to “go along to get along” in the thoroughly corrupt system that has caused the mess in which we now find ourselves.

With an apology to the memory of the late Billy Mays, “Wait, there’s more”!

Let’s say the newbie needs an “expert” on tax policy. Well, son-of-a-gun, the HR just happens to have an equally big government progressive college chum who works at the IRS! Need an “expert” on education policy. Darned if that other HR he hired doesn’t have an old teacher friend who “works”– and I use that term very loosely -- over at the Department of Education! You now know why the more things change, the more they stay the same – especially in Malfunction Junction. In addition to Term Limits, it appears we will also need TENURE LIMITS on the Hill Rats with stiff penalties for breaking the rules!

I recently heard Newt Gingrich confirm what I’ve suspected for a couple of decades. He said that— horrors -- the Obamacare Bill was almost certainly written at 3 am by bleary-eyed 25 year-old HRs groggy on beer and pizza. I’m not sure why that was so shocking as it is how nearly ALL so-called legislation has been cobbled together up there for far too long. It’s why Otto von Bismarck cautioned that there are two things one should never watch being made: SAUSAGE AND LAWS.

It is also why the late Georgia Representative Larry McDonald repeatedly lamented that around 85% of the bills to make it to a vote failed his first and most important test: “IS IT CONSTITUTIONAL?” (#2 was “Do we need it” and #3 was “Can we afford it?”)

One of the things we all need to do BEFORE we get behind new candidates to replace the 8 term retreads who have grown wealthy selling us out at nearly every turn is to insist that they draw their key staffers from folks in the district who may still have a grip on reality out here in flyover country -- then hold their feet to the fire on that pledge -- or replace them next time!

GOOOH offers an exciting alternative to the current system by opening it up to honest-to-goodness NEW candidates for those offices. GOOOH has been holding and will continue to hold candidate selection sessions around the country where regular citizens come together and choose one of their number to enter what has customarily been a controlled and closed party candidate selection process.

Where the current party system too often selects candidates based on who they know or how many favors they have done for other members, GOOOH candidates will be chosen on the basis of their answers to a rather detailed survey on the Constitution, our founding principles and how well they are able to articulates those beliefs. All of it is an effort to determine how tightly the prospective candidate will hold to those core beliefs in the face of the “go along to get along” modus operandi now the norm in Washington.

If you want to join with your neighbors in continuing the effort to restore common sense and sanity to government, please visit the GOOOH website athttp://goooh-now.blogspot.com/

Sunday, November 7, 2010

You and I are members of a very select group and we joined to make a difference.

There are literally hundreds of groups across America wanting to make a statement. Some of the groups are small with just a few members and some with a few hundred members and all, like us, are dissatisfied with the current politicians and the wretchedly bad job they are doing.

Almost all groups are trying to figure out who is the best of the bad and when chosen they will encourage members of their group to vote for that career politician because there is no better choice.

The two parties have a lock on the candidate selection process and they always select the person that supports the issues that most concern them. Issues that when they become law will benefit their pocket book or the pocket books of their supporters of their past and future election. This is distinctly the problem that you and I can overcome.

In 1780 Samuel Adams wrote “If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.”

I can say with out doubt, the most egotistical and aspiring men in this United States are the politicians that hold office, and we the citizens and members of the many groups are the experienced patriots and that is why we banded together. We have the power collectively to prevent the ruin of America.

We all disapprove of the job Congress is doing, yet 87% of incumbents are re-elected.

This did not change on November 3, 2010 because our groups have not joined in focus on the precise problem, the selection of our Congressional representatives.

Why do they get reelected over and over again? Incumbents take advantage of the perquisites of office to enhance their electoral position over their challengers. Thus, the franking (free mailing) privilege incumbents get helps them maintain increased name recognition. Travel to the district helps incumbents as well. In addition, by performing casework for their constituents (such as by finding lost Social Security checks), incumbents can develop good will, which then translates into votes. Finally, incumbents can skillfully take positions that are in agreement with constituency opinion. They also advertise based on these positions and build a legislative record that the opinion leaders in the district can support. In short, incumbents are doing just enough to help them get reelected. Getting reelected is their number one priority from the day they take the oath of office. Representing the constituents of their district takes a back seat to getting reelected.

Do campaign contributions to congressmen buy votes? Of course they do. If they didn't, there wouldn't be any campaign contributions in the first place especially from the heavy interests in business, defense industry and others who regularly buy Congressional votes. Not all politicians in office are on the take, but too frequently the news exposes a glaring example. I would be hard pressed to name just one that is not on the take.

The most recent features suspected bribery taker Congressman William Jefferson (D., LA.) trying to explain the $90,000 found in his freezer. This may be shameful, but certainly not surprising. Throughout history, there have been an old-boys' network operating among Washington lobbyists and legislators. Members of the House of Representatives must run for re-election every two years; Senators every six years.

Today a Presidential candidate must raise millions for a campaign, and it takes at least $250,000 to several million to finance a Congressional campaign. Does anyone really believe that all campaign gift money comes from selfless patriots whose only altruistic motive is to bring competent, honest government to Washington?

Today’s politician could not fix the problems we have even if they wanted to. They are trapped by what we call "political Catch-22s": Once elected they must serve their party or they will be gerrymandered out of office (ask Lieberman). Politicians must serve the special interest groups that finance their campaign or they will not have enough money to seek re-election. Being politically correct at all times, ensuring they do not offend any person and thus lose their votes and dollars, is necessary for their absolute existence. Politicians can only create "pork”, they can never remove wasteful spending. They are so determined to get re-elected that they spend ridiculous amounts of time fund-raising instead of representing their constituents.

You and I want a candidate that will have no ties to special interest money and is not beholden to any political party telling them how to vote and is not worried about being reelected because the most they will ever serve is two terms. Is there a solution to all of this? A solution to special interest money used to buy votes, a solution for a candidate saying one thing to get elected and then doing just the opposite. Yes there is and the solution is to change the way candidates are chosen.

I have researched over fifty groups all with special agendas, Tea Party,

organization named Go - GOOOH is an acronym for Get Out Of Our House. GOOOH is not a party, nor is it a platform. It is a process for electing citizen representatives to serve the people in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Why the House (something we all learned in school and most have forgotten)?

The President can suggest laws, but only Congress can make them. A member of either the House or Senate may introduce a bill but it must be approved by both. If similar but different bills are passed by the House and Senate, a conference committee attempts to reconcile the differences and then both will vote on the same bill. Before it can be a law it must also be approved by the President or, if he does not sign, the House and Senate can vote on it again and if they both pass it by a 2/3 majority it becomes law. If the law is challenged, the courts can rule that it is unconstitutional.

GOOOH has the solution: get rid of the politicians and elect true citizens. Go will

(a)Sever the ties with special interest groups

(b)Replace career politicians with true representatives

(c)Hold our elected officials accountable

(d)Allow you and your peers to actively participate in the selection of your representative.

(e)Allow you and your peers to determine, among yourselves, who can best represent your District

GOOOH does not define (or have) a platform. It allows selected candidates to represent their district's interests unencumbered by partisan politics. Candidates will define their own platform by filling out the Candidate Questionnaire.

Candidates are required to sign a legal contract agreeing to run for no more than two, 2-year terms. They will therefore spend their time representing their district and developing legislation - not fund-raising (or pandering) for the next election.

As a member of your select group you should also consider becoming a member of GOOOH. It will cost you nothing to join and your benefit will be in helping pick the next candidate to run for Congress in 2012. If we all band together for this worthy goal we will create the starting point of true representation for the people.

Monday, November 1, 2010

We’ve all heard them, haven’t we? Those cute phrases informed voters apply to the candidates at election time: “Why should I vote for the lesser of two evils? I still get evil.” Or “Once again it’s Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber.”

What most folks don’t understand is that these candidates don’t magically appear from the ether: The process in their selection starts IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS and PRECINCTS. The traditional and, many believe, often rigged method for selecting all those folks with the silly hats and goofy signs we see at the Demopublican National Conventions on TV every four years begins in OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

Nearly all these “delegates” have come up from their precinct, county and state conclaves where they are elected to go to the national convention. There they vote on platform planks, rules, and, of course, for their presidential and vice presidential candidates. If you get the feeling that most of those matters have been decided long before you got there, give yourself a big “Attaboy.” Sadly, unless one is a political junky, that requires more effort than most of us are willing to expend.

And if you’ve ever been to a precinct, county or state session, you know that they are often swarmed by party functionaries and regulars. These are folks who arrange to put and keep themselves in control of the proceedings lest things get “out of hand.” Nothing rankles them more that to have meeting “hijacked” by “outsiders” who don’t quite grasp the importance of maintaining the party line status quo. That can be more than a bit intimidating for the few “non-graspers” watching the majority of “regulars” dominate the proceedings.

While traditional candidates for Congress who make an impression at the county or state conventions can emerge with a “bump,” the process for actually selecting them is a less controlled one. It involves direct participation of the general electorate, first in a primary then in the general election.

The good news is that the top spots on the tickets were never intended to be as powerful as they are today.

The bad news is that they are because we’ve not paid sufficient attention.

For years, I’ve been amazed at our quadrennial fascination with the beauty contest known as the “PRESIDENTIAL RACE.” Our inattention and/or apparent desire for a king or a strong man dictator has allowed it. Couple that with the growing numbers of un or ill-informed citizens and we have a recipe for the disaster confronting us today. We have allowed our system to morph into the present quasi-monarchy from its original foundations as a representative REPUBLIC.

The most important thing to remember is that the Founders constructed the system to put – AND KEEP -- the KEYS TO THE FEDERAL CASH REGISTER IN CONGRESS. Attila the Hun could occupy the White House and without the dough to hire the bureaucrats, buy the desks and computers, etc., etc. ad nauseum, Mr. Hun would be hamstrung. It is PRECISELY why the Legislature was established in Section 1 of our Constitution, with the Executive and Judiciary at 2 and 3.

As mentioned at the top, THAT process starts in YOUR STATE and CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT by finding and supporting decent candidates -- at ALL levels -- who will go to YOUR state capitol and Malfunction Junction and do the necessary periodic house cleaning. Marching on Washington may be exciting but until MILLIONS of pitchfork wielding citizens crowd the Mall, those events only amuse the political aristocracy. The only folks who benefit from the finite patriot resources devoted to them are the airlines, hotels and restaurants in D.C. Marches, withholding contributions to the national parties, writing them poison pen letters may be personally satisfying but are not as effective as THROWING OUT THE CURRENT MISCREANTS. THAT is how to get their attention. Effectiveness also requires watching the NEW GUYS like a hawk to make certain THEY don’t go bad from imbibing too much of that power Kool-Aid so popular in Disneyland on The Potomac.

And there is more good news concerning this approach: The controlled so-called national mainstream media are so busy distracting us with that presidential beauty contest, they have less time to devote to these widely separated congressional races. That makes it easier to get some good folks elected.

And speaking of “good folks,” GOOOH – a REAL grassroots and nonpartisan organization -- has made it easier still. If you’re looking for an alternative to the controlled establishment party system and you haven’t yet checked out GOOOH’s website and signed on to participate in one of the candidate selection sessions, you really owe it to yourself to do so. The website is here: http://goooh.com/Home.aspx. There you will learn that there IS “Hope” for making the “Change” needed to move us back to the Constitutional moorings from which we have been cast adrift. There’s no requirement to do so, but you could even find YOUR name on a ballot at some point.

Joseph D’Maistre once correctly observed that “People get the government they deserve.”

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Date: October 21, 2010

To: Concerned American Patriots

From: Ed Stanley – GOOOH – Georgia’s 7th District

Re: Every Other Thursday Memo – Term Limits (“Limits” being the operative)

It seems everyone has a desire to limit the time our politicians spend in their elected office. Most would agree that time is the enemy of effective citizen representation. Why should there be term limits? Would it make a difference?

TERM LIMITS PAST & PRESENT – Currently our laws do not provide for specific term limits for Congress, but the idea of limiting terms for government officials is not new. In Ancient Greece (about 500 B.C.), the Council of 500 (The Boule) were limited to 2, one-year terms within 10 years so that.. “a large number of Athenians held some political position in their lifetime” (see “The Athenian Origins of Direct Democracy” by Steven Kreis). The Constitution defines the Terms of the offices of Congress but no limit. Only the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution addresses term limits (Executive Branch only). So if our Founders and 234 years of practice haven’t produced an Amendment of the Constitution calling for Term Limits in Congress, why now? The answer is simple: Congress has obviously become a glorified “Good ‘Ole Boys & Girls Club” with benefits & bonus packages that can rarely be matched in the private sector. They have set up a lifestyle for themselves equal to that enjoyed by royalty, such as Pelosi’s air travel services furnished by the military for both she and members of her family.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Older readers of this blog are already smiling, because they know where the ....is going. Below is a brief explanation for the younger readers so they will get the full impact of how this applies to GOOOH.

In days of yore, there was a cartoon strip that was intended for adults as well as kids, because of the underlying political messages from the cartoonist. The cartoon was "POGO", and Pogo was an opossum that, along with his various animal friends, lived in the Okefenokee Swamp.

A famous general is often quoted regarding a statement he made to his leader and people after a huge victory on the battlefield. "We Have Met The Enemy, And He Is Ours!"

Pogo, when discussing the failure of the common folk to pull out of a political quagmire facing them at the moment, quoted the same general....with a twist. "We Have Met The Enemy, And He Is......

Friday, October 15, 2010

Party failures are painfully evident in the current TN 03 House Race. TN 03 is a disgustingly gerrymandered district with the GOP having long held power in one area. This area contains 46% of the voters. All previous Representatives have been from that area.

An Independent now stands a great chance of winning for two reasons.

First, the GOP shot itself in the foot. The incumbent (16 years) vacated his seat to run for Governor. He lost. Eleven GOP candidates ran in the primaries for his seat. The winner took it with 30% of the vote! People are not happy.

Second, "We The People" are finally waking up in TN, and are rallying behind this Independent. Party "loyalties" are disappearing.

Now, "We The People" suddenly want to elect a person who truly represents their views in this district. He has been campaigning since 15 April 2009 (announcing his candidacy at a Tax Day Rally). Although a GOOOH candidate can't be implemented in TN this cycle, he answered the 100 questions and has posted them online for all to see. He has also set himself apart from the party candidates by signing a contract to pay $1M to a TN charity if he does not come home after the term limits promoted. He has signed a National Pledge to support the 10th amendment, and posted a pledge on downsizeDC.com to Write and Read the bills, and limit them to One Subject At a Time.

GOOOOOOH Independent!

Learn more about the complete GOOOH answer to the career politician problem. Go to GOOOH.com to learn more.

Living in central Texas I see snow fall every 3rd year or so. Last year was that year for us. It snowed one day and the accumulation was just enough for the kids to get out into the yard and make a really small snowman with blades of dead grass stuck to it. Why? Because there wasn’t enough snow to fully transform central Texas into the winter wonderland that is often thought about. That is where we are today, politically. There is a movement afoot that will restore the House of Representatives to the people, but there isn’t a large enough group of people behind it yet. Why? Because they don’t know it exists by and large. What am I talking about? GOOOH, (pronounced Go) Get Out Of Our House. It is a bold initiative to remove all 435 members of the House of Representatives and replace them with true citizen legislators that will do the will of the people and not the will of the party bosses or the special interest groups.

However, if people won’t stand together to be counted, we will be like the dirty, grass covered snow man in my front yard this last winter. You’ve seen it, just enough to snow to make a snowman but not enough to make it right. If people won’t go to www.goooh.com and join the movement, then we won’t have enough people to make the change necessary.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to look at the occupants of the House of Representatives with respect again instead of disdain, disrespect and distrust? Wouldn’t it be nice to know how your Representative is going to vote on every major issue of the day, because he/she has already documented how they believe on all of these issues? Won’t it be great to actually vote for someone because you believe the way they do, rather than “Well he isn’t the other guy so I guess I’ll vote for him?”

GOOOH brings all of these things to pass. Help bring the needed change to Washington. Let’s change the politicians. As the old saying goes, “Politicians and diapers need to be changed often and for the same reason, they are dirty.”

Saturday, October 2, 2010

So now we have the GOP Pledge. I hope I’m completely wrong, but how soon do you think it will be before the Republicans begin breaking this new slate of promises? They will of course blame the Democrats, but that is an excuse. Worse, it is a card they are already scheming to play so they can demand even more power in 2012.

Have they not learned anything from this President who promised to close Guantanamo, to have open debates on C-Span, and to keep unemployment under 8%? Promises should not be made unless they will be kept. The Republicans will not have a veto proof Congress. They will certainly not have a filibuster proof Senate. Promises like this cannot possibly be guaranteed. Yet make them they do. Why? Because they know we will not hold them accountable. Politicians will say whatever they feel they must to get elected.

They are promising to roll back spending to 2008 levels, which if anyone cares to remember, were the largest in the history of our nation, excluding the last two disastrous years. We were spending $600 billion more than we were collecting in 2008! Their out of control spending finalized the demise of their majority position. Now, they expect us to be excited about this promise of “restraint?” Why don’t they promise something bold, like 25% cuts each year until the budget is balanced?

They promise to “establish strict budget caps” but seem to have forgotten about the federal debt limit that is already in place. Do they think we do not remember they raised the limit in 2001, '02, '03, '05, '06, '07, and '08 to accommodate their out of control spending habits? Are we to trust they will not simply raise them again because of whatever crisis is happening?

They claim that every bill will have a "citation" of Constitutional authority. Hasn’t such authority been implicitly required since our nation was founded? If they have voted for even a single bill that did not have such authority, did they not violate their oath of office? Are they admitting they did so? Or, as they have done in the past, are they going to say the general welfare and commerce clauses authorize anything and everything?

The pledge accurately says, “An arrogant and out-of-touch government of self-appointed elites makes decisions, issues mandates, and enacts laws without accepting or requesting the input of the many.” Are we to believe that only applies to Democrats? Was it not arrogance and horrendous results that led the country to vote out these very same Republicans - who had complete control from 2000 to 2006? The Democrats were voted in because the Republicans were arrogant and out of touch. Because they were self-appointed elites making decisions, issuing mandates and enacting laws.

People write me and say the Republicans have changed, ignoring Karl Rove’s attacks on O’Donnell, Gingrich’s support of Scozzafava in New York, and sore losers like Crist (FL), Murkowski (AK) and perhaps Castle (DE) who refuse to accept the primary vote. I do not see change, merely a swing of the pendulum from one party back to the other as our dissatisfaction and problems increase.

I strongly favor preventing either party from having complete control of Congress and slowing down the madness, but I insist that the only solution is to address the root cause of the problem: politicians. We must break the death grip the two parties have on our system. We must take the money out of the process. We must remove all of the career politicians from OUR House.

The solution is to elect true citizen representatives. With your help, we will do so in 2012.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

“We Pledge” …“We Promise”… “We Vow”… How many times have we heard these words come out of politicians’ mouths, to later find ourselves disappointed and let down? Throughout the course of history men and women in the position of power and government have been telling us what we want to hear; like America is some half-crazed bitchy wife who needs to be placated and consoled. “Don’t worry honey, I’ll change. I promise I’ll be better.” Well we aren’t talking about taking out the trash or late nights at a strip club. The future of our country and the rights of our people cannot be swept under the rug like some cheating husband’s empty promises. So while we appreciate your effort and what you are trying to say, we – as Americans - can only offer this one response:

“Actions speak louder than words.”

Under what I can only assume is the guise of trying to regain power from the Democrats in the House, the Republicans released their "Pledge to America" today. I want you to take a moment, click on the link and read this “Pledge” if you haven’t already seen it.

Looks familiar doesn’t it? Seems like someone found a GOOOH flyer and thought, “Hrmmm…this makes sense. I need to use this somehow…” Almost like someone has been “listening” to us all along. We can only dream right? These concepts and “promises” that they are speaking of are not new. The way I read it, it was almost like they were telling me that they just came up with this themselves:

“Whenever the agenda of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to institute a new governing agenda and set a different course.” (Source: Pledge to America)

Really? Wow…I had no idea.

“An arrogant and out-of-touch government of self-appointed elites makes decisions, issues mandates, and enacts laws without accepting or requesting the input of many” (Pledge to America)

Well it’s nice to know you have realized your mistakes and that you need a serious attitude adjustment. The first step to recovery IS admitting that you have a problem, so hopefully we can all keep up with you while you’re going through your 12-step process.

I know this "Pledge" was intended to give us hope that they have identified some necessary reforms. One could look at this and think, “Wow! They are on my side! They know how I feel! They understand me and want to make a change!” Maybe they do, but as of right now I can only look at it through cynical eyes and wait to see how they will back it all up.

In my opinion I think Tim Cox should sue them for copyright infringement or at least have them start promoting GOOOH. According to the messages within this “Pledge”, Republicans and GOOOH members should be sitting in a circle holding hands singing Kumbaya. If that is the case, if Republicans believe that this country is due for an extreme home makeover, then by all means let’s join forces and make it happen.

Oh but wait. I don’t think these Republican “patriots” want to give up their positions of power so easily. Do you think they want to hand it all over to us; the people they claim should stand up to the government and demand a change? No way Jose, not in their lifetime! So while I do not encourage you to take the Republican’s “Pledge” and toss it into the trash immediately, I will encourage you to not be blinded by more empty promises to finally step-up and become the leaders that we always hoped and dreamed that we would have. While the words are nice and pretty and may sing us to sleep tonight, I only hope it isn’t complete smoke up our You-Know-What’s.

“The need for urgent action to repair our economy and reclaim our government for the people cannot be overstated. With this document, we pledge to dedicate ourselves to the task of reconnecting our highest aspirations to the permanent truths of our founding by keeping faith with the values our nation was founded on, the principles we stand for, and the priorities of our people. This is our Pledge to America” (Pledge to America)

We all agree. That is why we have joined GOOOH.

We have made our own Pledge to America, to ourselves, to our families and to future generations. As GOOOH members we vow to fight for the rights of the people and for our voices to be heard. We vow to bring down corruption and greed in the highest forms of government. We vow to not stand down until our goals have become our reality. We vow to look back at this time in history and stand proud for what we have accomplished because we will accomplish our goals with honesty, integrity and veracity.

We aren’t going anywhere so GOOOH out and find your local GOOOH chapter. Get involved. Do not let anybody think that they can make changes to our government without our say so in the matter. Visit www.goooh.com today and pass the message onto your family and friends.

Friday, September 17, 2010

This morning I was looking at a multitude of videos and reading articles from many organizations all calling for the removal of the current Congressional population this November. But, I ask, “Replaced with whom and how will the removal take place?” Is it going to be with more of the same type “body of representatives” using the same process we have been subjected to by the two-party system over and over again? Patriots - Please! We need some new thinking, don't we?

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

As a new contributor to this blog, I think it is only fair to include a perspective from the 20-30 year olds in America. Those of us who think we do not have a voice, are not informed or educated enough to participate in politics, and those of us who quite frankly are confused by the media and their opinions. (Because we all know very well that true journalism - reporting the news - is all but dead. We now see editorializing becoming the prevalent form of "journalism”.) In order to make any real changes, and to silence the corruption, we need to educate younger generations and make them feel welcomed into the world of government. It doesn't have to be so confusing when really what it all comes down to is this: who we elect into office, and for HOW LONG.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Well, here we go again. We find ourselves in very familiar situation with respect to the upcoming mid-term elections. Our current two party system has again managed to put the God fearing, law abiding, hard working, everyday American on the spot. On the spot for making a decision that really has no correct outcome, or the "right answer".
When we walk in that voting booth on Nov. 2nd, we will have to make a choice between a long time incumbent, and another politician who wants to be a long time incumbent. There is another choice, but our system has decided that they won't tolerate it...or they always try to convince you that you're "wasting your vote".

Monday, August 16, 2010

Critics say GOOOHs goal is idealistic, GOOOH is idealistic just like the United States was in the beginning. The founders of the United States dreamed of an ideal, the peaceful transition of powers from one leader to another, unheard of at the time. What the founders of our country did was nothing short of miraculous and idealistic. It was assuredly idealistic
GOOOH is cut out from the same parchment of idealism as our nation. GOOOH wants to increase the voter participation by selecting the best and most ethical candidates for political office. It will do this by getting more people involved in the beginning of the process instead of at the end during the general election.
GOOOH is the ‘ambition to counter ambition’ that was James Madison spoke about. GOOOH in brief, wants to get rid of the backroom deals that the political establishment does in both parties and restore a novel concept of elected official doing what is best for the country, instead of for the party or their donors.
Tim Cox, the founder of GOOOH, has taken the unprecedented steps of designing many external controls and auditors to keep GOOOH ethical. It’s safe to say the people that are involved with GOOOH have great expectation for it, and unlike other political parties, will leave at the first sign of corruption. GOOOH isn’t a political party but an amendment by voters per se to get rid of various corrupt career politicians in the House.
Many people have suggested that if GOOOH is successful that the people of the United States will lose great House of Representatives, such as Paul Ryan. However, if Paul Ryan is a representative of the people he’ll be force to prove how good he is for the people of United States in a Senate campaign. GOOOH in short is a win-win for the American people. We get better representatives in the House and even better Senators in the senate. How can we say no to a proposition like GOOOH?

Sunday, August 8, 2010

An IntroductionAccording to a recent poll conducted by Gallup on July 8-11 2010, Congress enjoys the approval of a whopping eleven percent of those polled. Eleven percent of Americans say they have "a great deal" or quite a lot" of confidence in Congress.

Those Americans who pay attention to such matters know something is wrong with our government. The President, or the executive branch, certainly takes his share of the punches from critics on all sides for unpopular policies. Many worry about judicial activism by the Supreme Court, and how the decisions of the Supreme Court affect the nation as a whole. Yet neither aforementioned institution ever sees their approval ratings drop as low as Congress. Why?

Could it be that the American people understand that the legislative branch, and specifically the House of Representatives, was designed and chartered to be the voice of the people? The fact that Congress has slipped so low in this and other polls should be a reflection that "We the People" don't think we are being represented, our voice is not heard, and quite frankly, we are being ignored. Again it begs the question, why?

I believe it's because others have taken a place in line ahead of the American citizen with regard to our elected officials' priorities. It has become obvious and the electorate knows it.

We are currently occupied with this mid-term election season, and trying to make the best possible choice from a small list of candidates that want to represent us in Washington. Leaving incumbents out of the equation for now, I would like to focus on the candidate who has never held office on a national level before. Your chosen candidate may fit this mold.

Your candidate may be a dedicated businessman, a state representative or senator, a mayor or city councilman, a father, mother, pastor, etc. In addition, he may appeal to you as a candidate because he may be a good, upstanding, law abiding citizen with a fixed moral compass. Your candidate possesses some traits you would like to see him take to D.C. so he can do his part to represent you and me. Your candidate, if elected, is entering a different culture. A culture of corruption that grabs your elected candidate before he ever take his first steps into the halls of Congress, and holds him to a different priority than representing you, and keeps him until the day he leaves.

You will not be represented in Congress!

I don't mean to overuse the term "culture of corruption", yet I do want to bring to point the political society that our government has constructed, and in which it operates, to make laws that affect you and me adversely, while enriching themselves, is the "Ruling Class". This is where the incumbent or "career politician" comes in.

Often, when an incumbent is finally voted out of office, we think, we (that is, we the electorate) have leveled a just conviction of our will. The career politician is no longer able to subject us to his perverted views or ideology. We have replaced him with someone who will do right by us, right?

Not so fast… chances are that the incumbent you just got rid of may not hold office in government any longer, but they will be affecting legislation for years to come. They will be making large sums of money working for lobbying firms. They will be contributing large sums of money to that new representative you just voted in. They will have almost unattended influence upon legislation, and doing all of this because they have stepped in line in front of you and me. This is the part of the culture that hides behind the doors of the backroom deals, and is standing between us and our rightful representation.

For example, Billy Tauzin of Louisiana was elected to the House of Representatives in 1980. He served a total of 24 years. During that time he changed parties from Democrat to Republican after the republican takeover in 1994. Billy Tauzin later headed thePharmaceutical Research and Manufacturing of America, or PhRMA. Tauzin had played a key role in shepherding through Congress the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill. [1]As head of PhRMA, Tauzin was a key player in 2009 health care reform negotiations that produced pharmaceutical industry support for White House and Senate efforts.Reportedly, proposals for Medicare Part D cost reductions and permitting drug importation from Canada were dropped in favor of $80 billion in other savings. For his services, Tauzin was paid $2.5 million for manipulating legislation that will affect mine and yours descendants' lives for generations to come. Most Americans opposed healthcare reform.

Dick Armey, Tom Daschle ,Tom Foley, Trent Lott, not to mention countless unknown staffers and interns, are now ranked among Congress' most powerful insiders. These are today's lobbyists (or "senior advisors" performing very similar work). And they're hardly alone. Dozens of former members of Congress now receive handsome compensation from corporations and special interests as they attempt to influence the very federal government in which they used to serve. Approximately 278 former members of Congress are currently members of the "revolving door" and make up the special interests that prevent you from receiving the representation you deserve.

Right now, you are not being represented in Congress!

In a series of articles following this one, I plan on laying out before you multiple examples of how and why our government is broken. It is broken because of the "culture", and as long as the culture exists, "We the People" cannot fix it by simply sending newly elected candidates into the existing two party system. We are only feeding the beast. All 435 members must be turned out, and replaced with citizen representatives who will
be effectively accountable to their districts.

We must change the system, or better put, we must change the people who operate the system. GOOOH can fix it.

GOOOH has a plan that will take the special interest and lobby demands away from our representatives, and restore accountability to their constituents. But GOOOH needs activism, and thus GOOOH needs you!

I encourage you to visit the website http://www.goooh.com/ or find a local GOOOH meet-up group near you to find out more about the solution.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

I want to introduce a new perspective into the GOOOH argument for term limits and shortening the legislative session, specifically how the financial sector votes with their money. A while back I came across a mutual fund called the Congressional Effect Fund (CEFFX). What makes this fund impressive is that the fund manager, Eric Singer, analyzed 45 years worth of S&P 500 data and corresponded it with days that Congress was in session and discovered that when Congress is out of session ,the stock market stagnant. When Congress is in session the S&P 500 gains .94% on an annualized basis, when it’s out it gains 16.04%. That is a HUGE effect that Congressional meetings have on the financial sector!

Eric Singer capitalized on his research and applied it to his new fund and ‘surprisingly’ avoided the financial meltdown of 2008. Since the fund started in 2008, the S&P 500 is down -17.50% while CEFFX up +4.50% through July 22, 2010. That is a shocking impact that Congressional meetings have, isn’t it? Makes me want to buy some shares, but that’s not the point. Eric Singer’s research provides exoteric evidence that shows a movement like GOOOH has been needed for some time.

It is apparent what has happened, the financial sector has decided that the best government is the government which governs the least. A recent Gallup poll shows that only 11% of Americans have a lot of confidence in Congress. Notice that the long term trend on the graph is conclusively downward. What comforts me most about this graph is when I look at the time periods of 1982-1985 and 1993-2003. These periods are unique for anti-incumbency, economic growth and sound policies pursued by both parties at the time. GOOOH’s goals are perhaps the best option to secure America’s economic future and freedom. I urge you to tell more people to get involved in the GOOOH movement because the evidence shows that GOOOH is needed.

About the author:Robert B, got involved with GOOOH after researching what political actions he could take to make America economically better and freer. Robert B, in his spare time runs Birchtree Sustainable Studios.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Americans take their Constitution seriously because it is a product of profound scholarly research, intense debate, and reasoned compromise. Arguably, the U.S. Constitution is the most scrutinized social contract in the history of mankind. Most certainly, the volumes written on the American constitutional democracy, starting with the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers, are indicative of its enduring impact.

Yet some people regard the Constitution as an obsolete scrap of paper, having no relevance to modern society.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Not long ago, an editor of a newspaper in my area wrote an article entitled "Caucus mistake by Dems repeated by local GOP". He was expressing his unhappiness with the "back room politics" that dominates most of the nominating processes across the country. I wrote a Letter To The Editor basically telling him, "I feel your pain".

And, of course, I took the opportunity to promote the GOOOH system for nominations, as the timing was perfect.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

If you are over the age of 40, you know who Chuck Barris is. You have seen at least one episode of The Gong Show. You are probably aware that Barris, known to the world as the creator of over 15 popular (yet cheesy) game shows of the 60’s and 70’s, took exploitation of the common man to a new, and decidedly unrefined, level. He did this by preying on humanity’s natural disposition to indulge a common guilty pleasure, watching people make idiots of themselves. And as for those goofs that Barris cultivated as contestants: where did he find all those people? They are a dime a dozen. We all know that a large segment of society neglect any pursuit of personal excellence, or work to elevate themselves up Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs.” Why bother when there is a chance to win instant fame on The Dating Game? Hey, it worked for Farrah Fawcett.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

The Republic is in the grip of a malaise largely brought on by a Congress addicted to power. Decades of encroaching and arbitrary government power have led to exorbitant deficit spending, insolvent social welfare programs, and deference to special interest groups. In contravention to our Founding Father’s Constitutional design, actual sovereignty no longer lies in the people.

After years of great study, reasoning, and debate, the Founding Fathers created a democratic political system designed to guarantee the rights and interests of American citizens. They were well aware that people, regardless of their benevolent intentions, are fundamentally flawed and driven to pursue power. As a consequence, they established a system of checks and balances not only among the three branches of federal government, but also between the federal and state governments.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Those familiar with the Shakespearean play Macbeth know that the play begins when Macbeth stumbles upon a coven of three witches on his way home from victorious battle. The witches, with an incantation that includes potion ingredients such as “eye of newt and toe of frog,” share with Macbeth the prophecy that he will become a nobleman, and one day be king. This prophecy sets into motion a self-serving ambition that corrupts Macbeth, and ends in the ruination of his family, harm to his country, death to his friend, and the destruction of his future.

What is happening in Washington DC, our state capital, is a parallel plot...

Thursday, March 25, 2010

There is a lot of emotion about the recent healthcare legislation and how it came to pass. Those who voted for it are claiming that those who voted against it are inciting violence against them. Some are claiming that they have been targeted by threats because of their vote. The day of the vote there were claims that epithets were yelled at them. Emotions are powerful, but they are not the way to make significant and lasting change. For change to be meaningful, it must make sense both logically and emotionally. In other words, you should be able to examine the change, think it through, and that it also "feels right". Violence breeds violence and does not solve the issue because it is rooted in emotion.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

We have all been so frequently burned by lying, opportunistic, hypocritical representatives that I understand the tentativeness surrounding and accepting a new process and believing it will improve our situation. On one hand, we won't get any significantly improved results by continuing to use the same processes. I believe it was Albert Einstein who said that continuing to do the same thing and expect different results is a form of insanity. That describes our election process. We must create a new process to find, select, elect and hold accountable our representatives. This new process must focus on getting highly qualified citizen representatives into office to replace the career politicians who have taken control of our government. The term "public servant" has become oxymoronically opposite of what it is supposed to be. They act like our masters and then refer to themselves in false humility as our servants.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

The average American has grown very cynical about the potential for government to be the solution for anything. Regardless of your particular political leanings, at this point in the history of our country, many of us are finding that we have become jaded toward believing that our "leaders" have our best interests in mind. The men who drafted our nation's Constitution believed in the fallibility of human nature which is why they created a rather intricate web of checks and balances that were intended to provide counterbalance tension to political ambition. Over the past 2 centuries, some of these checks and balances have been eliminated (e.g. 17th amendment) and some of them have been ignored (e.g. judicial activism following clear election results), but the greatest failing of our grand experiment has been the ignorance and apathy of the electorate.

Many nations have modeled their national constitution after ours and yet nations that have only recently gained their freedom, like Iraq and Iran, have much higher voter turnout than the United States. We have taken our freedoms and rights for granted and that is a sure way to lose them. If you are feeling jaded and cynical, then you most likely have experienced hope that a candidate, party or initiative would make a significant difference in our national political experience only to find that they ultimately disappoint. Voter's remorse is all too common an experience these days. In looking for solutions we need to look beyond the marketing and hype and analyze how the solution intends to fulfill its promises.

Welcome to Get Out Of Our House (GOOOH). GOOOH is a process that identifies areas that are sources of corruption and eliminates those from the system.

I am very excited about firing up this blog, a place that I hope will become a hotbed for the fantastic exchange of ideas bubbling up from American Patriots across the USA.

In order to inspire truly productive commentary and debate, we must begin with an agreed-upon resolution and a set of common values, a paradigm from which we will all be working.

So to begin this blog I will start with the GOOOH Mission Statement: the objective of ending the reign of elitist career politicians and return America to a truly representative republic.

Mission

GOOOH stands for 'Get Out of Our House' and is pronounced like the word 'go'. It is a NON-PARTISAN plan to evict the 435 career politicians in the U.S. House of Representatives and replace them with everyday Americans just like you. If you are tired of career politicians, GOOOH is for you. If you believe money has corrupted Washington, GOOOH is for you. If you believe politicians have too much power, GOOOH is for you. If you are weary of the death grip the two parties have on our government, and are ready to return control of our government to the people, then GOOOH is for you.